DISCREPANCY: HOW GOOD ARE YOU AT READING BETWEEN THE LINES?

[TDRComm]

Back on 12/28/2023 we posted the news about Cummins and their agreement to settle claims with the government for emissions-related discrepancies.

Discrepancy is a vague word. What exactly did Cummins do wrong? What is their story? What is the viewpoint from the side of the EPA?

I’m thankful that we have astute TDR readers that provide helpful insight. “brcbruiser” posted the following EPA response to the original 12/24 news release.

“Frequently Asked Questions - Cummins Violation of Clean Air Act Vehicle Emission System Controls Requirements” READ THE FULL EPA DOCUMENT HERE

Thank you “brcbrusier.” How good are you at reading between the lines?

The government document is not too lengthy. Regardless, it is easy to get sidetracked in the "16 Q&A Topics" that are addressed. Here are two of the Q&As that get to the crux of the document.

6. What does this mean for Ram 2500 and 3500 diesel vehicle owners?
If an owner’s vehicle is affected, Ram has or will send the individual a letter notifying them about the recall. The vehicle owner can schedule an appointment to have their vehicle repaired. The recall consists only of a software update, also called a “software reflash”. No hardware changes are necessary. Once Cummins repairs the vehicle, Cummins will provide the vehicle owner with an extended warranty for the emission control system. The extended warranty is also available to owners that have already received the recall and to late-model year 2019 vehicle owners who purchased vehicles that were originally produced with the recall software. ​

12. What exactly did Cummins do that violated the Clean Air Act?
Cummins developed software that helped the vehicles pass emission testing but increased emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in normal driving conditions and used it model years 2013 through 2018. Cummins developed different illegal software that increased emissions of nitrogen oxides for use in model year 2019 Ram 2500 and 3500 diesel vehicles. This kind of software is known as a defeat device because it is designed to cheat emission reduction requirements. In all, Cummins installed alleged defeat device software in 630,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 diesel vehicles, model years 2013-2019.​

Additionally, Cummins failed to disclose to EPA and CARB other software in these vehicles and in an additional 330,000 vehicles from model years 2019-2023; although this failure to disclose also violated the Clean Air Act, this software calibration did not include defeat device features and therefore did not create excess emissions.​

Good luck reading between the lines. And, remember there are always two sides to every story.

(Oh, and by the way, did you notice that “discrepancy” is another D-word? Yep, we had fun with D-words back in our original post. If you missed the D-word discussion [another D-word], go back to the original post for a laugh or two.)

Robert Patton

 

[opmmotorsports]

Someone needs to step up to the plate with media backing.!! We are the only country in the WORLD with a EPA !!., we are the only country trying to SAVE THE WORLD, and UNFORTUNATELY, the working people that bust their BUTTS, WORKING like slaves to be able to purchase these trucks are the ONLY ONE’S PAYING THE PRICE.,!! The U.S is “ SHOVELING SAND AGAINST THE TIDE “
Every day, some P.O.S POLITICIAN comes up with either a NEW GUN LAW OR ANOTHER DIESEL EMISSIONS LAW.,!! Leave Cummins alone, leave ALL DIESEL OWNERS ALONE,
NO NEED for them, other than to make our lives miserable and drive the price of the trucks out of sight for the $25000 worth of parts
To pass a sniff test.!.,

 

[Diesel85]

Someone needs to step up to the plate with media backing.!! We are the only country in the WORLD with a EPA !!., we are the only country trying to SAVE THE WORLD, and UNFORTUNATELY, the working people that bust their BUTTS, WORKING like slaves to be able to purchase these trucks are the ONLY ONE’S PAYING THE PRICE.,!! The U.S is “ SHOVELING SAND AGAINST THE TIDE “
Every day, some P.O.S POLITICIAN comes up with either a NEW GUN LAW OR ANOTHER DIESEL EMISSIONS LAW.,!! Leave Cummins alone, leave ALL DIESEL OWNERS ALONE,
NO NEED for them, other than to make our lives miserable and drive the price of the trucks out of sight for the $25000 worth of parts
To pass a sniff test.!.,

I agree.

As a little kid, diesel engines always intrigued me. However, now that I'm grown up, have a highly regarded degree from a prestigious college, I've done lots of research on diesel engines. Many hours reading, understanding the math, chemistry, and other dynamics of how diesels work, the more I see why no one wants them. It's simple -- Diesel technology just makes sense in real world applications. Problem is, no one wants to make it easy for the end user (consumer). So instead lies and misinformation is spread about a topic, in this case, diesel engines. So people automatically flock to what they appear to assume is "bad" or "dirty". Little do they know that today's diesels and fuels are much, much cleaner than gasoline engine emissions.

More so now with the ease of making 100% bio fuels. Diesels are the only engine that can produce the same or near same net yield of power running on 100% bio fuel as they can running on dead dinosaur juice. Same can't be said for hydrogen, propane, natural gas, ethanol, gasoline, electricity, etc. All has to do with compression ignition technology.

Down the line, like you are stating diesel trucks will cost so much, that the indirect result will be the cost of goods and services will go through the roof to unsustainable limits.

I made a promise to myself, only vehicles I will buy in the future, until the day I am pushing up the daisies will be diesels.

 

[opmmotorsports]

I retired about 10yrs. ago. I did trucks, trailers and heavy equipment for a living. Watching the longevity and reliability get less and less as the years go by. And the prices go up and up with the electronics and beginning of emissions. With the laws and regulations get tougher and tougher. I’ve owned MANY diesel trucks since 1984. Had Fords, then went to Ram. They ALL HAVE GOOD AND BAD, but the COMMON DENOMINATOR is the emissions issue. It’s GOTTA GO AWAY.

 

[bboxall]

I agree with stopping the EPA's ever-tightening strangle hold on diesel engines. Someone needs to step up to the plate, use their brain and realize that like it or not EVERYTHING mission critical to the economy runs on diesel fuel. I think we should stop where we are or roll back to emission levels prior to DEF and say we are going to stay right here. We are destroying our economy with this increased regulation all the while China is building more coal fired power plants and doesn't care about anything but economic growth for themselves while they watch us fail economically at the hands of the moron tree huggers.

 

[SmokinJoe]

I agree with stopping the EPA's ever-tightening strangle hold on diesel engines. Someone needs to step up to the plate, use their brain and realize that like it or not EVERYTHING mission critical to the economy runs on diesel fuel. I think we should stop where we are or roll back to emission levels prior to DEF and say we are going to stay right here. We are destroying our economy with this increased regulation all the while China is building more coal fired power plants and doesn't care about anything but economic growth for themselves while they watch us fail economically at the hands of the moron tree huggers.

the emissions are so bad International had to quit making engines and from 2009 to 2015 any MaxForce engines are a curse in heavy equipment. I will not bid or buy those trucks with MaxForce motors.

 

[dshatzer]

Someone needs to step up to the plate with media backing.!! We are the only country in the WORLD with a EPA !!., we are the only country trying to SAVE THE WORLD, and UNFORTUNATELY, the working people that bust their BUTTS, WORKING like slaves to be able to purchase these trucks are the ONLY ONE’S PAYING THE PRICE.,!! The U.S is “ SHOVELING SAND AGAINST THE TIDE “
Every day, some P.O.S POLITICIAN comes up with either a NEW GUN LAW OR ANOTHER DIESEL EMISSIONS LAW.,!! Leave Cummins alone, leave ALL DIESEL OWNERS ALONE,
NO NEED for them, other than to make our lives miserable and drive the price of the trucks out of sight for the $25000 worth of parts
To pass a sniff test.!.,

We may be the only country with the EPA, but we’re not the only country regulating diesel and other ICE emissions. Global governments are doing the exact same thing. That’s how Germany’s government tagged VW and others for diesel emission cheats. Let’s not forget synthetic gasoline made from carbon dioxide is almost on the market where gasoline engines will be carbon neutral. Interesting times.

 

[DonRam240]

Very interesting information. Do we know quantitative information about how much the “illegal” Cummins software increases NOx emissions? What the software flash does to change the system’s performance? How does it change things to decrease NOx, exactly? (Increased DEF use is coming from some user reports, afterward, it appears, but what about other effects?) More reports from folks who have had the recall completed would sure be helpful, as to DEF use and fuel consumption changes if any. And more from those closer to the technical details.

 

[BillZ]

DonRam240 - Good questions,

Also is it mandatory that we get this downgrade?

 

[wxman]

Do we know quantitative information about how much the “illegal” Cummins software increases NOx emissions?

Not that I'm aware.

Remember all the hand-wringing over the excess NOx from VW TDI engines in 2015? The "real-world" NOx emissions from those engines were reportedly about 1.0 gram/mile (Tier 2 NOx standard effective at that time was 0.07 grams/mile for Bin 5, which is to what the TDI vehicles were certified).

It should be noted that the NO2 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) was met by ALL monitored areas in 1998 (https://www.epa.gov/green-book/green-book-nitrogen-dioxide-1971-area-information), but effectively was met in 1992 (https://www3.epa.gov/region9/air/trends/no2.html - Los Angeles/South Coast Air Basis was the last area in the nation in non-attainment with the NO2 NAAQS). The average NOx emissions from GASOLINE passenger cars in 1992 was about 2.3 grams/mile according to EPA's own data. The whole point of the mobile source emission regulations was to facilitate states in reaching attainment with all the NAAQS.

Not that I'm condoning cheating on emissions certification, but diminishing returns was reached at least a few iterations of mobile source regulations ago.

 

[DonRam240]

An incentive to proceed is the extended warranty on some costly emissions system parts if we have it done. Here’s a link to the Justice Department pdf of the agreement. Warranties for 2019-23 and 2013-18 Rams are in appendix B pp B1-B3.
https://www.justice.gov/enrd/media/1332446/dl?inline
Didn’t see duration of the warranties, only a 2yr parts warranty on one aspect. Anyone know duration for these? Said to vary by specific vehicle.